It’s safe to say that Anthony Richardson Sr. has played his last snap as an Indianapolis Colt. The team won’t say it publicly, but the experiment is nearing its end.
Richardson still has a year left on his contract, plus the fifth-year option he gets for being selected in the first round. With that in mind, teams around the league are being urged to take a chance on Richardson in a low-risk, high-reward trade to see if they can turn him into the league’s next Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox mentioned both the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys among the teams who should take a chance on the 23-year-old if the Colts decide to move on.
The Rams need to make a plan for life after Matthew Stafford, who is 37 years old and dealing with a back injury as the season draws closer. While getting on the field and playing is ideal for Richardson, having the chance to learn from a veteran could also prove fruitful.
“(Richardson) could learn a lot by sitting behind an experienced veteran and/or learning from one of the NFL’s top offensive coaches,” Knox wrote, adding Rams head coach Sean McVay was a big part of Mayfield’s resurgence at the end of the 2022 season.
“Richardson would give the Rams a solid QB3 behind Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo and a high-ceiling prospect to develop for the post-Stafford era. With all due respect to Dresser Winn and Stetson Bennett, L.A. doesn’t have a future franchise quarterback on its roster—and that roster is too good to ‘earn’ a pick near the top of the 2026 draft.”
The cost to add a developmental third quarterback would likely be pretty cheap. General manager Les Snead should pick up the phone to evaluate the price, at the very least.
Dallas, meanwhile, has a starting quarterback in place. Dak Prescott was recently made the highest-paid passer in the NFL, and while he’s not going anywhere any time soon, he does have an injury history concerning enough for the Cowboys to need a secure backup they can count on.
The team traded for Joe Milton III, but he’s been less than impressive in preseason. Bringing in Richardson would give him another chance to compete and potentially become a starter down the line.
“Richardson would have a reasonable chance to see the field and reestablish his NFL stock in Dallas, even if he might never become a full-time starter. The Cowboys have fantastic pass-catchers in CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson and George Pickens…There’s also a non-zero chance Richardson could become the future in Dallas if he shows enough promise as Prescott’s understudy,” Knox wrote.
Of course, these trades would be contingent on the Colts being willing to dispose of Richardson, which they’ve been adamant they are not ready to do. But it would be foolish for general manager Chris Ballard to not explore the possible return for one of the most talented quarterbacks to grace professional football.
